Talk me out of Holland Cooper!

[Amandaholdenstits]

It's terrible. I'm in love with all her stuff, especially the tailored suit sets - matching coat, trousers, waistcoat. The whole lot would be around £1500 - talk me out of wanting to splurge on this. Thank you.

@StylishAndBeautiful

Yes, I've been looking at contemporary sites, including Really Wild. But the clothes just don't do it for me in the same way HC designs do. It's not that I cultivate a faux-country look or even want to wear HC for its status, I think it may be that @HebeJeeby , JHC herself makes the clothes look incredibly stylish.

I see several women wear top-to-toe JHC at all the major horse racing events and the look can look cloney - and I agree that whilst the look works fabulously on JHC herself, it doesn't always translate as well on other body shapes.

I'm reasonably tall and slim and know that JHC would suit me well. Sigh.

If you can afford it, why not splurge. It might not look bad on a price per wear basis.

It's not my cup of tea but it wouldn't suit me anyway.

House of Bruar actually stocks a lot of HC! There is a whole showcase section of the store.

They do fit the country vibe, and the quality seems quite good and I think they CAN "do the job" but are normally bought to LOOK like they are going to do the job - if that makes sense!

It is definitely for people who care more about their clothes than their horse or livestock, but some of the pieces are quite nice if only they would leave off the branding!

Holland Cooper | Brands | The House of Bruar

I think it’s awful stuff. Fashion for those with no style, like the princess of wales. Sorry.

If the princess of Wales has no style god help us peasants

I think the PoW dresses really nicely.

The gold hardware on the HC clothes make it look cheap.

It makes me think of the Princess of Wales too, but not the current one.

It's all a bit early days of Diana when faux Sloane rangers dressed in fake hunting clothes to eat small pretentious food in overpriced hotel restaurants.

go for it. Dip your toe in.

I have bought some of the HC trousers and blazers. Via HC sale and vinted. OMG. Love it. Such beautiful material. I have paid a tailor to make them fit me as I’m too short for it really!

I have bought a couple of tops too. Again I like them.

all bought online. Never seen in person before. Shopping made easy for the busy girl!!
And I like what I have purchased so far.

however I haven’t bought any of the country pursuits or ski wear as I think there are better or cheaper versions available elsewhere.

There’s a shop near me has all that stuff in the window and I always think “who buys that? It’s looks cheap and shit”? 😂

Sorry!!

My youngest DD is really into HC, and has got loads of tops/fleeces that she lives in. She said it all washes well and is on a par with the stuff she gets from Schoffel. I work in Cheltenham and it's very popular, I see loads of people wearing it. If you like it, get it. I don't buy into the faux snobbery on these boards!

I am sure it looks chic in Cheltenham, if that is the aim.

🤣🤣

JHC and Julian Dunkerton of Superdry fame are big employers in Cheltenham, and Dunkerton Park is a cool food/ drink venue, so I wish them well

The Marlborough coat is one of my favourite things I own. Money very well spent.

I have several Holland Cooper items (mostly purchased in the sales), and all the labels say 'Made in Turkey'

@Missstified I believe it's only the British wool tailored garments that are made in the UK - but you're right about the other stuff being made abroad.

I got a top for one pound in the bargain bin of a mall chain store that lasted about 25 years with very regular wear, so not sure cost = longevity.

I think mixing one or two of their pieces with other brands would look okay, but it just gives me wannabe vibes. It’s how some people think rich or posh country folk dress.
I have a couple of their hats, one jumper and an evening dress (completely overpriced for the fabric but I was in a bind). Out of curiosity I popped into one of their shops and it was all a bit…underwhelming. I’d rather wear actual country clothes and pay more.

Well I think I may be digging myself out of my Holland-Cooper shaped hole. I was toying with buying some items online until I saw a few disgruntled posts on FB about their customer service - which for some reason I cannot paste an extract on here to show you.

Anyone else getting Barbara Woodhouse flashbacks...

The gold hardware - it’s belonging to a logo club! It’s everywhere at Cheltenham races and not remotely original. It’s for followers who don’t have their own style and shout they have money. There’s great makes available that are more chic and understated. Jade HC is Mrs Julian Dunkerton of Superdry. She’s got the right backing and marketing.

Yes, there's an uncomfortable dialogue between the loud labelling and the intended vibe of the clothing.

The "look" is understated country chic, but the labelling and logo-flashing sits with that in a contradictory way.

Even brands like Ralph Lauren and Tiffany have understood that and they arguably have a far bigger brand recognition to leverage off by plastering it over things. But, even then, it is only the more ubiquitous items like polo shirts and hoodies that tend to get the obvious logo treatment, and they leave their purple label etc tastefully free of that. Similarly Tiffany who brought in all that frankly rather awful lower end jewellery with the massive hallmarks, but you want find that on any of their high end jewellery.

I do "get" the market that targets: it's for teens etc who can't afford the D colour diamonds upstairs. And the polo t shirt (at least with the discreet logo) has become a bit of a modern classic, mostly because the t-shirts have great pigment that fades to "favourite t-shirt" colour and are decent quality. But HC isn't really that kind of look: it's aiming at people (or is designed to look like it is aiming at people) who presumably want quieter elegance.

That’s what I think about the gold hardware too. Primark does a lot of stuff with tacky gold buttons and that’s all I can think about when I see HC clothes with it on.

It’s quite logo’d. Don’t wear a full outfit of it unless you are going for the Daniella Westbrook wears Burberry vibe.